Ice block storage and dispensing rack



Jan. 10, 1956 H. o. MaCLEAN ICE BLOCK STORAGE AND DISPENSINC RACK 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 30, 1955 @NNN NN QN @N @W A AA A NSA C A AA V E mm @QN f\%w wm, M mg( r TN( .l l mv. B

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ICE BLOCK STRAGE AND DISPENSING RACK Filed July 30, 1955v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jan. l0, 1956 H. o. MaoLEAN ICE BLOCK STORAGE AND DISPENSING RACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 30, 1955 Jan. 10, 1956 H. o. MaGLEAN ICE BLOCK STORAGE AND DISPENSINC RACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 30, 1953 INVENTR. Q HQTOC Q/cleaJ/f, l BYRJQM Jan. 10, 1956 H. o. MaCLEAN ICE BLOCK STORAGE AND DISPENSINC RACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 50. 1955 1N V EN TOR. H0130 d 0. Molema, W10. di

.2,730,223 ICE BLOCK STURAGE AND DISPENSINGRACK Harold 0. `MacLean, Highland Park, lil. Application July 30, 1953, Serial No. 371,294

7 Claims. (Cl. l1931-39) The present invention A.relates generally to ran ice block storage rack, but more particularly to a novel Vand .improved master type of ice storage and :dispensing rack for the storage and dispensing of thousands and .thousands of tons of ice blocks so as to have the ice`blocks readily available for the continuous and instant supply of ice blocks for various purposes such as `the prompt and uninterrupted supply of ice blocks .for the continuous voperation of icing machines in connection Withice servicing of refrigerator cars at icingdocksorstations.

Heretofore it has been the practice, in connection with the icing or ice servicing of refrigerator cars at vicing stations, to employ sufficient labor Ato transfer manually ,one ice block at a time from-the icewarehouse or `ice storage house `to an adjacent ice block vconveying belt .for 4the purpose of conveying and supplying iceblocks to the icing or ice servicing machines, with the .result that there were not only interruptions in the continuous supply of ice blocks but also a large .crew .of 4men rwere required to `perform this function. lThis method of operation was not only inefcient and hexpensive `butalso Aresulted in long delays in icing or ice servicing of refrigerator cars.

It is therefore, not onlyvoneoftheprimary objects of the present invention toovercomethe .objections-or disadvantages hereinabove pointed out, but to also ,provide a compact ice block storage and dispensing rack .which :is adapted to be mounted :Withintheconventional V.ice block `warehouse or ice storage building -where it is instantly available to supply a continuous-How of-ice lblocksfto the icing machines without any yinterruptions and with the employment of the .minimum ynumber .of men.

A further object ,ofthe invention .is `to provide a novel and improved construction of `ice block storagevand vdispensing rack which includes two spaced apart ice .block storage spirals, having a .plurality-of ice blockxchannels extending therebetween and arranged-in tiers andin substantial alignment with one another.

A still furtherobject of the invention is -to :provide a novel and improved ice block storage and dispensing vrack in which a series-of manually controlled gates located at .points adjacent'to the entrances and exits `of the ice block channels controls the passage .of the ice-,blocks to and from the channels and spirals.

A further object of the invention is to :provide a novel .and improved construction V,of -ice `block storage antidispensing rack in which the delivery end of the :rack .is

lprovided with a primary control gate Vfor dispensing the ice block onto amain ice block-conveyor.

These and other objects are accomplishedbyproviding a ccnstructionfand an arrangement of the Yvarious Eparts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view, on a considerably reduced scale, showing my improved ice .block storage and ldispensing rack;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational'view of'the'samq Fig. 3-is an enlargedfragmentarytop plan view oftlre nited States Patent() throughout the entire length of the channels` .Zand 5.

left hand spiral as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.of the drawing showing the manner in which channels of one tier are connected to the spiral;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary topplan view of the right hand end as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged -fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the lines 5 5 in Fig. 3 of thedrawings;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view showing the construction of the main discharge gate;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevational view of the same;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional View taken on the lines 3 8 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view taken on the lines 9--9 in Fig. l0 of the drawings; and

Fig. i() is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the lines 1li-10 in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

ln illustrating one embodiment of my improved ice block storage and dispensing rack, I have shown the same as comprising two or more spaced ice block spirals generally indicated by the reference characters 10 and 11 which are connected together and communicate with one another by a plurality of slightly inclined block conveying channels arranged in a tier and are generally indicated by the reference character 12.

This ice block storage and dispensing rack is adapted to .be mounted Within the building or walls of an ice storage 'feed or move byV gravity the ice blocks toward the dispensing end of the ice block rack.

Each of the spirals 10 and 11 are channeldiite in crosssection and comprise a bottom plate 24 and opposite inner and outer circular walls 25 and 26 respectively. Three suitably spaced apart iceblock guide tracks27 are secured to the bottom plate l24 to facilitate the travel -of the 'ice blocks 28 therealong. See Figs. 3 and 8. The-spirals l0 Aand 1,1 are supported by suitably spacedand vertically disposed channel posts or frame members 29 which have their lower ends secured in the floor of the storage housing 13 in any suitable manner. Y

Each of these sets of channels indicated at lst to Z3 inclusive consists of a plurality of longitudinally extending troughs or channels indicated at 1', 2', 3', 4', 5', 6', 7', 8', 9', and 10'. These troughs 1' to 1li' inclusive include a'bottom 30 and side walls 31. The bottom 30 is .provided with a plurality of spaced apart guide tracks 32 so as to facilitate the free passage of the ice blocks See Figs.

`Located at properintervals between Athe channels and at diierent :elevations in the tier, are suitable catwalks generally indicated at 33, S'and 35, so that access to the `channels by an operatormay be readily accompiished.

`members 37 are secured to vthe Ypost members at vertical spaced intervals of sufficient elevations so as to reely accommodate the Vpassage of the ice blocks in their respective channels. The sets of channels 14 to 23 inclusive are identical in construction except that each successive setis located at 'a 'different elevation 'and "therefore a detailed description of the set 14 will suice for all the sets of the-tier.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be noted that channel 1 of the top set 14 is connected to a diagonally disposed delivery channel 38 which has its delivery end extending tangent to and communicating with the top circular portion of the spiral 10 for delivering ice blocks from channels 1', Z', 3 and 4'. In other words, the diagonal channel 38 serves as a common conveying trough for each of the channels 1 to 4 inclusive by means of control gates hereinafter described. The ice biccks in these channels 1 to 4 inclusive can be discharged into the spiral 10. In this connection it will also be noted that the delivery ends of channels 2', 3', 4 and 5' all converge in a direction toward one side of the spiral 10. See Figs. l and 3. An arcuate gate 38 pivoted at 37 controls the discharge of ice blocks from the channel I and the conimon channel 38 into the top circular portion of the spiral 10. A gate 39 pivoted at 40 on the vertical wall 31 between the channels 1 and 2 controls the movement of ice blocks from the channel 2', to the common channel 38. A gate 41 pivoted at 42 controls the ice blocks from channel 3 to channel 38. A stationary wall 43 forms a portion of the wall of the channel 38 diagonally across the lower end of the catwalk 33. Another gate 44 pivoted at 45 on the vertical wall adjacent the catwalk 33 controls the movement of ice blocks from the channel 4 to the common channel 38. Another gate 46 pivoted at 47 to the vertical wall 31 between the channels 4' and 5 controls the movement of ice blocks from the channel to the spiral 10. Another gate 48 pivoted at 49 to the vertical wall 31 adjacent the catwalk 34 controls the movement of ice blocks from the channel 6 to a diagonal extension channel 50 of the channel 5. Another gate 51 pivoted at 52 to the vertical wall 31 between the channels 6 and 7 controls the movement of ice blocks from the channel 7 to the channel 50. Another gate 53 pivoted at 54 controls the ice blocks in channel 8. A vertical stationary section or wall 55 forms a portion of the channel 50. A gate 56 pivoted at 57 controls the discharge of ice blocks at the delivery end of the channel 9 into the end of channel 10' and an arcuate gate 59 pivoted at 60 controls the discharge of ice blocks from the channels 9 and 10' to the spiral 10.

In a very similar manner the channels 1 to 10 inclusive are loaded with ice blocks from the loading spiral 11. An ice block elevating mechanism, not shown, elevates the ice blocks to a receiving channel 61 which extends tangent to the topmost circular portion of the spiral 11 where the ice blocks are received for discharging them into the channels 1 to 10' inclusive. An arcuate gate 62 pivoted at 63 controls the entrance of ice blocks into channel 1'. A gate 64 pivoted at 65 controls the entrance to channel 2. A gate 66 pivoted at 67 controls the entrance of ice blocks to channel 3'. An arcuate gate 68 pivoted at 69 controls the entrance of ice block into the diagonal channel 70 which is an extension of channel and communicates with channels 7' to 10 inclusive or extensions thereof. Gate 71 pivoted at 72 controls the entrance of ice block into extension 73 of channel 6. Gate 74 pivoted at 75 controls the entrance to channel 4' from the extension channel 73. Gate 76 pivoted at 77 controls the entrance to channel 5 from extension channel 73. Gate 78 pivoted at 79 controls the entrance to channel 7. Gate 80 pivoted at 81 control the entrance of ice blocks to channel S', and gate S2 pivoted at S3 controls the entrance to channel 9'.

As hereinbefore pointed out my improved ice block storage and dispensing rack is loaded by elevating the ice blocks onto the receiving channel 61 where they are discharged into the top circular portion of the spiral 10 and travel by gravity to the bottommost circularportion of the spiral 10. From this lowermost portion the ice blocks are then discharged into the channels l' to 10 inclusive of the lower set of channels 23, the proper manipulation of the gates controlling the entrance to these channels. In other words, all the channels of the complete tier are loaded by filling the lowermost set 23, then 22 and then on upwardly to the top. In this connection it will also be noted that the both spirals 10 and 11 can be completely loaded from the top circular portion to the bottom thereof so that when the rack is completely lled to six hundred tons or more, they will be ready for the instant dispensing of ice blocks in a continuous and uninterrupted flow to the main conveyor, which in turn, supplies the ice to the ice servicing machines for icing or servicing refrigerator cars.

In order to illustrate and describe in more detail the manner in which the various gates are constructed and operated, I have shown a section of the device in Figs. 9 and 10. In these gures vertically disposed stationary rods 85, 86 and 87 extend through the aligned channels and form pivots for the gates of all of the channels. These rods pivotally support tubular crank shafts 88, 89 and 90. Each of the tubular crank shafts have right angularly'projecting slotted crank arms 91 which, in turn, are connected to the piston ends of conventional hydraulic cylinder units indicated generally by the reference character 92. These cylinder units are supported on brackets 93 which are secured to the next adjacent channel bottom 30 of the set of channels above. In the case of the topmost set 14, suitable cross frame members may be provided for supporting these hydraulic units. It will, of course, be understood that in each case the gates for example 48, 51 and 53 are rigidly attached to tubular shafts 90, 89 and 88 respectively, so that upon the actuation of the hydraulic units the gates will open or close. In this connection it will also be noted that a control or operators station on the ground will be provided. This control station will be provided with suitable electrically controlled buttons which will control the valves for the individual hydraulic units. The energization of the hydraulic units can be controlled so as to individually actuate the gates located at any point throughout the storage rack. The movement therefore of the ice blocks may be controlled from one point, preferably of a station adjacent the discharge end of the spiral 10.

Referring to 1,5 and 6 of the drawings, it will be noted that I have provided an ice dispensing channel 94 which extends tangent to the lower most round of the spiral 10. This channel 94 controls dispensing of the ice blocks directly from the storage rack to the main ice block conveyor leading to the ice servicing machines. This dispensing channel is provided in one of its walls 97, with a control gate or stop 9S, which is positioned in the rectangular opening 96 located in one of the side walls 97 of the channel 94. This gate is secured to a crank shaft 98 which in turn is pivoted in spaced apart brackets 99 secured to one of the side walls 97 of the channel 94. A conventional hydraulically actuated unit, 100, is operatively connected to the crank shaft 98 for actuating the same. The unit 100 is mounted in a bracket 101 secured to the side wall 97 adjacent to crank 98. Positioned adjacent and between the free end of the gate or stop 95 are two spaced apart springs, 102, which have outer ends seated as shown in 103, in an oiset bracket 104, secured to the side frame 97. The other ends of the springs engage lugs 105 on the gate 95. These springs normally urge the stop or gate 95 inwardly and assist the hydraulic unit to control the ow of ice blocks 28 therethrough. The hydraulic units as previously pointed out can be controlled by the operator at the station from which he is capable of controlling all the gates throughout the storage rack.

summarizing the advantages and functions of operation of my improved ice block storage and dispensing rack, it will be readily understood that by storing six hundred tons or more of ice blocks in a plurality of channels between the two spaced apart spirals, a continuous uninterrupted supply of ice blocks may be dispensed from the rack and continuously conveyed to the icing machines so that there is no delay in icing or ice servicing the refrigerator cars at the icing stations. lt will also be noted that this construction of an ice block storage and dispensing rack reduces the number of men heretofore required for transferring ice blocks from the ice storage building to the main ice block conveyor.

While in the above speciiication I have illustrated and described two spaced apart spirals 1) and il with connecting channels arranged in tiers, it will, of course, be understood that additional spirals or additional channels rnay be added to these illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

While l have described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice in the above specification, it will, of course, be understood that the saine is Capable of modification and that modification may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An ice block storage and dispensing rack comprising two spaced apart spirals of channel-like cross-section for storing and conveying ice blocks therein, a plurality of longitudinally extending ice block conveying channels extending between each successive round of each spiral, the channels of each successive round located in a vertical tier, and means located adjacent the ends of said channels for controlling the entrance and discharge of ice blocks to and from said channels.

2. An ice block storage and dispensing rack comprising two spaced apart spirals of channel-like cross-section for storing and conveying ice blocks therein, a plurality of longitudinally extending ice block conveying channels extending between each successive round of each spiral, the channels of each successive round located in a vertical tier, and gates located at the entrances and exits of said channels for controlling the passage of ice blocks to and from said channels.

3. An ice block storage and dispensing rack comprising two spaced apart spirals of channel-like cross-section for storing and conveying ice blocks therein, a plurality of longitudinally extending ice block conveying channels extending between each successive round of each spiral, the channels of each successive round located in a vertical tier, certain of said longitudinal channels extending in a direction tangent to said spirals, and gates located in the path of movement of the ice blocks for controlling their movement.

4. An ice block storage and dispensing rack comprising two spaced apart spirals of channel-like cross-section for storing and conveying ice blocks therein, a plurality of longitudinally extending ice block conveying channels extending between each successive round of each spiral, the channels of each successive round located in a vertical tier, certain of said longitudinal channels extending in a direction tangent to said spirals, certain other of said channels converging toward other of said channels, and gates iocated in the path of movement of the ice blocks for controlling the movement of the ice blocks.

5. An ice block storage and dispensing rack comprising a spiral frame for the storing and conveying of ice blocks, a second spiral frame spaced from the rst frame, a plurality of inclined ice block conveyor frames extending between said spirals for storing and conveying ice blocks from one spiral to the other spiral, gates for controlling the discharge of ice blocks from one spiral to said inclined frames, gates for controlling the discharge of ice blocks from the inclined frames to the other of said spirals, and individual hydraulic units operatively connected to each of said gates for actuating said gates.

6. An ice block storage and dispensing rack comprising a spiral frame for storing and conveying ice blocks, a second spiral frame spaced from the rst frame, a plurality of inclined channel frames extending between said spiral frames and arranged at a slight inclination to the horizontal, said channel frames arranged in a vertical tier, gates pivoted to said channels adjacent the entrances and exits thereof for controlling the movement of ice blocks therein, and hydraulic units operatively connected to the individual gates for actuating the same.

7. An ice block storage and dispensing rack comprising a spiral frame for storing and conveying ice blocks, a second spiral frame spaced from the first frame, a plurality of inclined channel frames extending between said spiral frames and arranged at a slight inclination to the horizontal, said channel frames arranged in a vertical tier, gates pivoted to said channels adjacent the entrances and exits thereof for controlling the movement of ice blocks therein, vertical shafts extending through said channels, crank shafts secured to said gates and journalled on said vertical shafts, and means carried by said channels and operatively connected to said crank shafts for actuating said gates.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 405,088 Ferguson June 11, 1889 801,162 Schwab Oct. 3, 1905 1,069,049 Williams July 29, 1913 1,074,387 Schwab Sept. 30, 1913 1,256,724 Pardee Feb. 19, 1918 1,529,434 Hynes Mar. 10, 1925 1,749,262 Roark Mar. 4, 1930 2,341,386 Reichelt et al. Feb. 8, 1944 

